He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Vol 2 8
| StoryTitle1 = What Lies Within, Part 2 | Synopsis1 = Since the of had overtaken the planet of , the remaining were forced into hiding. Now, , his , , , and have been caught by Horde Outriders in the open, after just barely surviving the battle at Sarnsceptor. They had been on their way to by command of the King, whose desperate plan threatened the very fabric of their reality. Now, though, they might not even make it that far, as just five of them cannot hope to overcome the Horde. Fortunately, , the Moss Man, comes to their rescue, tangling their enemies in rough, thorny vines. With the Horde subdued, he leafs the Masters of the Universe away into a deep forest of his own making. He is sad to learn that many of the other Masters did not survive the battle of Sarnsceptor, but more surprised to learn of what they intend to do at Mount Zoar. Zoar is the mother goddess of Eternia; the source of all creation. King Randor intends to petition the goddess, and ask her to heal Eternia's wounds; to return the to life. Moss Man dismisses the plan as madness. Such a plan threatens to undo the fundamental bonds of the universe. Despite this, Randor warns that he did not come to this decision lightly, and entreats them to come with him, at least as far as the Mount. Against their better judgment, the Masters follow their king to Mount Zoar, where hieroglyphs cover the walls of a great cavern. They tell of how Zoar is the eternal star seed, worshipped by the First Ones, before even Man arose. Those Snake Men knew her as Serpos. It was she who created the , the planet, and their universe. She is what binds Eternia. In death, the Sorceress has become one with Zoar, and as such, the goddess should be able to re-create her. The King attempts to justify his actions by drawing their attention to a prophecy inscribed on the walls, claiming that in the twilight of the gods, which begins with the sorceress' death, a mighty warrior will traverse to heal the surface world. That mighty warrior is , who wields the Sword of Power. Only he can open the gates to Subternia and confront the infinite energy of Zoar that hides there. Adam decides the time has come to admit the vision he had. While wounded at Sarnsceptor, he had seen a man called who had told him that even with his new power he could not win the war against the Horde directly. Instead, he must seek out what lies within; the indirect means. Taking this vision as a sign, Moss Man suggests that they hurry up and open the gates. Beyond them, Stratos explains, lies a maze of six rings: those of dreams, earth, sky, war, death, and eternity. All must be traversed to reach Zoar. Resolved, Adam raises the Sword of Power above his head, and the gates respond to its power, opening. Stepping into Subeternia, they soon learn that the Ring of Dreams will be perilous. | Appearing1 = Featured Characters: * ( ) Supporting Characters: * :* :* :* :* ( ) :* Villains: * Other Characters: * Locations: * :* ::* Items: * Vehicles: * | Notes = * This issue is dedicated "to the memory and power of Lou Scheimer." | Trivia = | Recommended = | Links = }}